Chase Me, Ara Portia (Published Under IMMAC PPH)

51:

"Sheena was my third girlfriend and was my fiancée. I was eighteen when I met her and got into a relationship with her. Long story short, tumagal nang six years until the day I found out I'm not the one. Hindi ako ang original. Naging kabit ako nang hindi ko alam. On our sixth anniversary, I found out she's pregnant with another man's child. Sa fiancé niya for three years. Tangina, 'di ba?" Dugtong ko habang si Ara ay hindi makapaniwalang nakikinig sa akin. "That was painful. Siguro mga two months din akong nabaliw sa sakit noon, but eventually I stopped thinking about her. She's going to have a baby at ikakasal na. Nakita ko na lang ang post niya sa Instagram telling the world she's going to get married."

"Aww, love. That is painful."

"Yeah, it was. You can't even imagine how fucked up my life at twenty-four. Everyone was congratulating them. Everyone was happy about their marriage, and I felt bad I can't even do that for her. Well, at least that time when I am not yet moving on. I cried buckets of tears while typing congratulations on the comment section. I poured my heart out to tell her how beautiful and lovable she is. That his man is so damn lucky because he's marrying her. That's the least that I can do to free myself."

I sighed.

"Pero good friends pa rin kayo?"

"No. She did not even say any single sorry to me. Ni closure para mag-explain siya because I really want to know all the reasons why e wala. I need to know pero wala talaga. That's why exes, just like what you have said, I have a very toxic meaning of exes inside my head. You cannot blame me though. Narinig mo ang sinabi ni Mom, hindi ba?"

"Alin doon? Marami, e."

"The part when she said na minadali namin. Well, at least that was the case for me. Tangina six years, minadali ko pa ba 'yon? Six years na, e. Sigurado na ako. Kung sa'yo understandable na minamadali ko. Na parang ganoon na nga. You've just been chasing me for a month now, right?"

"Yes, and we're engaged now. Tita is right. Mukhang ang bilis nga."

Napangiwi siya sa sinabi niya habang ako ay napapailing lang habang nakangiti.

"No. The duration of the relationship does not have anything to do with the preparedness of anyone of us to get married. Kasi kung alam mong siya na, siya na. Alam kong ikaw na, kaya ikaw na. Got that?"

"Taray ha? Ang tapang. Hindi ka takot na magkamali ulit? Kasi six years nga naloko ka pa e, ako pa kayang one month pa lang?"

I got confused for a moment as I look at her while asking me that question.

"You're not capable of cheating or messing up with me. I know that at least."

"Talaga? Sure ka roon? Malay mo serial killer ako tapos i-deds ko kayong lahat dito tapos-"

"Hindi ka talaga matino kausap, ano?"

"Heto naman joke lang, e. Tss. Init ng ulo. I'm breaking out some of the madness within you. Well, mukha namang okay ka na sa lahat and now I got to realize, you're mad at cheaters but not afraid to love again and risk again." She said. "That's so awesome, love. Ang lakas mo. Ang tibay mo just to be fine after that heartbreak. Hindi ka talaga takot sumugal ulit?"